PETITION TO THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE Modernizing the Texas Education Code to Ensure Fairness,
PETITION TO THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE Modernizing the Texas Education Code to Ensure Fairness,
The Issue
Support Educators to Strengthen Texas Public Schools for Better Student Outcomes
Petition
To the Members of the Texas Legislature:
We, the undersigned citizens, educators, parents, taxpayers, and community stakeholders, respectfully urge the Texas Legislature to amend the Texas Education Code to strengthen transparency, due process, and accountability in educator employment decisions involving probationary contracts, term contracts, and non-renewals.
We support reforms that:
• Increase transparency by requiring clear, evidence-based reasons for non-renewal recommendations.
• Strengthen documentation requirements and opportunities for improvement.
• Establish consistent statewide minimum standards for evaluations and non-renewal procedures.
• Expand access to an impartial review process when factual disputes exist.
• Strengthen protections against retaliation for legally protected activities.
• Increase public accountability through aggregate reporting of non-renewal data.
• Promote educator retention and stable learning environments for students.
Research consistently demonstrates that high teacher turnover lowers student achievement, disrupts instructional continuity, and costs taxpayers millions of dollars in recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and training expenses. During Houston ISD’s state takeover, publicly available records document thousands of teacher departures, while Texas Education Agency data show the district’s teacher turnover rate reached 32.2%—approximately 1.7 times the statewide average. Using nationally recognized teacher-replacement cost estimates, turnover at this scale represents tens of millions of dollars that could otherwise be invested directly in classrooms and student services. As Texas expands state intervention through Boards of Managers in districts including Houston ISD, Fort Worth ISD, and Beaumont ISD, legislators should require greater transparency, accountability, and due process in educator employment decisions to promote workforce stability, protect taxpayer investments, and provide students with the consistent, high-quality learning environments they deserve.
18
The Issue
Support Educators to Strengthen Texas Public Schools for Better Student Outcomes
Petition
To the Members of the Texas Legislature:
We, the undersigned citizens, educators, parents, taxpayers, and community stakeholders, respectfully urge the Texas Legislature to amend the Texas Education Code to strengthen transparency, due process, and accountability in educator employment decisions involving probationary contracts, term contracts, and non-renewals.
We support reforms that:
• Increase transparency by requiring clear, evidence-based reasons for non-renewal recommendations.
• Strengthen documentation requirements and opportunities for improvement.
• Establish consistent statewide minimum standards for evaluations and non-renewal procedures.
• Expand access to an impartial review process when factual disputes exist.
• Strengthen protections against retaliation for legally protected activities.
• Increase public accountability through aggregate reporting of non-renewal data.
• Promote educator retention and stable learning environments for students.
Research consistently demonstrates that high teacher turnover lowers student achievement, disrupts instructional continuity, and costs taxpayers millions of dollars in recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and training expenses. During Houston ISD’s state takeover, publicly available records document thousands of teacher departures, while Texas Education Agency data show the district’s teacher turnover rate reached 32.2%—approximately 1.7 times the statewide average. Using nationally recognized teacher-replacement cost estimates, turnover at this scale represents tens of millions of dollars that could otherwise be invested directly in classrooms and student services. As Texas expands state intervention through Boards of Managers in districts including Houston ISD, Fort Worth ISD, and Beaumont ISD, legislators should require greater transparency, accountability, and due process in educator employment decisions to promote workforce stability, protect taxpayer investments, and provide students with the consistent, high-quality learning environments they deserve.
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Petition created on August 2, 2026